Tsunade Can Hear My Inner Voice-Chapter 108: The Trio’s Progress

*Swish!*

*Whoosh!*

As soon as Shikamaru arrived at the training spot where Chōji and Ino were practicing, he heard the relentless sound of weapons slicing through the air.

Oh crap!

The moment he peeked out, a kunai came flying straight at him, forcing him to jerk his head back instantly.

Nope. Absolutely not.

Though he dodged quickly, Ino and Chōji were far too perceptive to miss his presence. The moment Shikamaru appeared, they noticed him.

"Shikamaru, you finished your training already?" Ino twirled a kunai effortlessly in her palm, her fingers dancing with practiced ease. The sight sent a shiver down Shikamaru’s spine.

"First stage is done. But what are you two doing for the second stage?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"Wanna know?" Ino flashed a mysterious smile and exchanged a glance with Chōji, who immediately understood.

"Yeah!"

A tiny alarm blared in the back of Shikamaru’s mind, but his curiosity about the second stage overpowered his caution.

"In that case, we’ll show you!" Ino’s grin widened.

"Uh, actually, I think it’s almost lunchtime. Maybe we should train in the afternoon?" Shikamaru’s instincts screamed at him to retreat. The look in Ino’s eyes was far too dangerous for his liking.

"Attack!"

Escape was no longer an option.

Ino shouted, flicking her wrist to send several kunai hurtling toward Shikamaru.

"Ino, you—" Shikamaru barely had time to protest before realizing more kunai were flying at him from the other side.

Chōji, you traitor!

Indignation and betrayal surged in his heart. Since when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

Fine. If they wanted to play dirty, then he wouldn’t hold back either.

Time to unleash his—

Nope!

Dodge!

Dodge again!

Keep dodging!

Under the relentless barrage of kunai, Shikamaru twisted and weaved like a clumsy dancer, his movements awkward yet effective enough to avoid getting impaled. Ino cackled with delight at the sight. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

When the storm of kunai finally subsided, Shikamaru looked down at his tattered clothes, now full of holes and barely clinging to his body. He shot Ino a glare full of resentment.

"Was that really necessary? What if you actually killed me?"

"At worst, you’d just be crippled. Hikari-senpai knows Mystical Palm Technique. As long as you don’t get hit in a vital spot, he can fix you right up."

Shinobi training was inherently dangerous.

There was no room for child’s play in their world.

Just look at the protagonist of the original story, Naruto. During his training, he constantly relied on Shadow Clones to compensate for his weaknesses. Sure, the clones transferred their experience back to the original upon dispelling, but they also brought with them the pain of destruction and the exhaustion of overexertion.

Even Naruto, who was practically immune to such drawbacks, couldn’t use the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken as a regular technique until he mastered Sage Mode. During his fight against Kakuzu, using it just twice nearly destroyed his arm.

Thank goodness for Tsunade’s medical ninjutsu. Without her, the so-called Child of Prophecy might’ve lost his arm.

"Alright, fine. You’ve got a point." Shikamaru conceded, begrudgingly admitting that this brutal method was undeniably effective. The constant threat of being skewered had sharpened his danger instincts significantly.

"Since you two went all out on me, it’s only fair I return the favor. Chōji, Ino—one of you, step forward!" As he spoke, Shikamaru used his shadows to gather the scattered kunai, placing them within easy reach.

He grinned at his two friends.

What were friends for, if not to share both joys and suffering? Now that he’d experienced this "growth", it was only right to help them grow too.

"Pick him!"

"No pick her!"

Ino and Chōji, those so-called "best friends", immediately pointed at each other.

"Let’s start with you, Ino!" Shikamaru declared—before suddenly hurling a kunai straight at Chōji instead.

"Whoa! Shikamaru, that’s cheating!" Chōji, proving that even a big guy could be nimble, spun, leaped, and even pulled off a full split mid-air, dodging the kunai with surprising agility.

Ino, seeing this, immediately joined in, pelting Chōji with a barrage of kunai.

"You asked for this! Partial Multi-Size Technique!"

Chōji activated his clan’s secret technique, his hands swelling to massive sizes as he swatted away the incoming projectiles.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The kunai bounced harmlessly off his enlarged palms, not even leaving a scratch.

"Hah! I modified our clan’s technique to reinforce my skin. You two think kunai can hurt me now? Don’t make me laugh!"

"Big size, big weaknesses. Chōji, you better be careful!" Shikamaru signaled Ino before charging straight at Chōji’s massive hand.

"Trying to get close? Good luck!"

Chōji’s left hand came crashing down like a flyswatter, threatening to squash Shikamaru flat.

"Told you—big isn’t always an advantage!"

Shikamaru kicked off the ground, darting past Chōji’s attack with a burst of speed.

"Mind Body Switch Technique!"

Chōji’s blood ran cold at the sound of the Yamanaka clan’s signature jutsu. If it hit him, he wasn’t confident he could resist Ino’s control in a battle of wills.

"Wait—"

Three seconds passed. Nothing happened.

Ino was still sprinting up his arm, grinning.

"Chōji, this is the real deal!"

Her hands flew through seals as she took aim.

"Ninja Art: Eggplant!"

Ino flashed a V-sign.

Chōji’s brain short-circuited. Before he could react, he instinctively shrank his left hand and swung at Shikamaru.

"Ninja Art: Shadow Imitation Technique!"

"Gotcha!"

At the last possible second, Shikamaru’s shadow stretched out, locking Chōji in place.

"You two are so unfair!" Chōji whined, betrayed. His so-called friends had ganged up on him, the honest one.

"Hey, deception is a shinobi’s greatest weapon. If anything, I’ll take that as a compliment!" Ino sauntered over, pinching Chōji’s cheek. "Honestly, Chōji, you’re a genius. You only learned this yesterday, and you’re already combining it with your clan’s techniques? Teach me!"

Chōji shut his eyes, refusing to look at her smug face.

"No way. This is my secret!"

"What if Shikamaru treats you to a meal?" Ino pressed.

Shikamaru groaned, "Don’t drag me into this—I’m broke!"

Chōji cracked an eye open, glancing at the shadow binding him.

"Fine. But it has to be expensive."

"Deal!" Ino chirped.

Shikamaru wanted to cry.

Why is it always me who ends up suffering?

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